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Turn Signal and Coil Issues

Mark T

Donation Time
While I was getting a few more miles on the car yesterday morning I noticed that the dash indicator wasn't flashing when I put my right turn signal on. It works fine when I turn left. When I got home I turned the ignition on to check to see if the lights were actually flashing or not and they weren't. Every once in a while there would be a short flash of the lights when I first pushed the lever up, but that's all. Any suggestions on what to check out first?

Then to top things off I forgot to turn the key off. An hour later I went out to the garage and noticed a burning smell... compliments of a fried coil. Is there anything that can be done to protect the coil if make this mistake again?

Thanks!
 

Jim E

Donation Time
When the S3 went back together after paint the turn signals and lights in general did all sorts of things they were not supose to do. Brake lights flash turn signals being brake lights sort of stuff or just not working at all. Spent a couple hours chasing wires to make sure I hooked everything back up right when it hit me. Ground! added two ground wires to the tail light housings and everything got happy.
 

mikephillips

Donation Time
Yes, make sure you have good grounds on the front and rear lamps. I used 16ga wire for them instead of relying on the screw to body type that the factory used and have never had a problem. One on each rear housing and on on each front running to the headlamp grounds.

As for forgetting to turn the ignition off, well there's nothing that the standard setup does to prevent it or to shut it off on it's own. I'd suggest you find something you can put on the car, a flag, a sheet, something to visually remind you what you've been doing that you can't miss seeing. Or perhaps a sign on the garage reminding you each time you leave to check that everything is off.
 

V_Mad

Donation Time
As Jim E says, most likely a grounding problem (ie open circuit), esp since neither side is flashing. Note that the flasher unit will normally still work even when no indicator is lighting up, but the flash rate is usually much faster then normal. Thats how you can tell a bulb has gone.

Re your coil, check that the ballast resistor is connected in circuit, as lack of this will fry a coil quite quickly. If thats wired correctly it should be OK to leave switched on.
 

Mark T

Donation Time
Thanks Guys!

Signal Issue: Just to be clear, everything works fine when I signal left, but when I push the lever up to turn right I sometimes get a very short flash of the lights (both signal lights and the dash indicator), probably about every 5 or 10 times that I push the lever up. This is while the car is sitting still in the garage.

Coil Issue: I have Ford electronic ignition so I don't have an external ballast resistor. Should I be installing one?
 

V_Mad

Donation Time
Thanks Guys!

Signal Issue: Just to be clear, everything works fine when I signal left, but when I push the lever up to turn right I sometimes get a very short flash of the lights (both signal lights and the dash indicator), probably about every 5 or 10 times that I push the lever up. This is while the car is sitting still in the garage.

Coil Issue: I have Ford electronic ignition so I don't have an external ballast resistor. Should I be installing one?

OK, sorry I misunderstood, so its only one side that does not flash properly. If neither front or back bulbs light, then its probably an open circuit somewhere, as unlikely both bulbs have blown. May be a faulty switch, or connector, or wire fallen off on the (RH side) circuit.

I think that as your coil overheated, that indicates you probably have a ballast type coil. I have a Ford electronic ignition, and that uses a ballast. I cooked my coil when I first installed it without a ballast. Luckily it survived, and still works now the ballast in.
 

Jeff Scoville

Donation Time
It's almost definitely your switch.
I would guess that as the switch is being pushed up into position it makes contact, then not.
These can be cleaned and then a bit of electrical grease applied.
 

Nickodell

Donation Time
Mark: You might want also to try replacing the flasher unit. It's where I would start, and although an awkward sod of a job reaching under, or lying on your back, the actual replacement is a ten second job, like putting a plug in a socket.

You might want to think about [one of my pet subjects] a battery master switch, and use it whenever you leave the car. Not only will it prevent coil cooking, it also avoids drained batteries, and is a great fire preventative and antitheft device.
 

sunbby

Past SAOCA President
Donation Time
Thanks Guys!

Signal Issue: Just to be clear, everything works fine when I signal left, but when I push the lever up to turn right I sometimes get a very short flash of the lights (both signal lights and the dash indicator), probably about every 5 or 10 times that I push the lever up. This is while the car is sitting still in the garage.

Mark,

One thing you could try to help troubleshoot is swapping the sides. When troubleshooting one of my turn signal issues I had 1 side working, 1 not. I swapped the wires at the bullet connectors right after the switch (under the dash near the steering column.) This can help you narrow down the area of search. If the malfunction switches sides you know the circuit downstream of the connections you swapped is ok. If the malfunction stays on the same side you know the stuff upstream of the swap is ok.

Just remember to swap them back. :)
 

Mark T

Donation Time
Thanks for all of the suggestions! If I get a chance to look at it today I'll start by switching the wires to see if it's the switch. Unfortunately I have 6 tests and 1 exam to write in the next 6 days so I really should be studying. :( (I know... I should get my priorities straight and crawl under the dash. :D)

Thanks for the suggestion on the battery kill switch Nick! It's on my winter 'To Do' list... along with an in-car fuel pump shut-off, new insulation and carpet for the tunnel, designing and building a console, installing the radio and speakers, getting the intake snorkel chromed, installing a clutch safety switch...
 

Mark T

Donation Time
OK... got my priotities in order and crawled under the dash. When I switched the wires the same lights didn't work (passenger side). This means that the switch is OK but something downstream on the passenger signals is the issue. The funny this is that the first time that I turn on the right signal (after a few minutes of inactivity)there is an initial flash of the lights (front, back & dash indicator), then nothing (although I can faintly hear the flasher clicking).
 

Mark T

Donation Time
Decided to put in a new flasher before I started tearing apart light fixtures. I know... it can't be the flasher as it's upstream from the switch and I've already proved that upstream is OK when I switched the wires downstream of the switch and the same lights wouldn't work. Guess what? Changed the flasher and the lights work! :) Any ideas how this is possible? :confused:
 

Bill Blue

Platinum Level Sponsor
Decided to put in a new flasher before I started tearing apart light fixtures. I know... it can't be the flasher as it's upstream from the switch and I've already proved that upstream is OK when I switched the wires downstream of the switch and the same lights wouldn't work. Guess what? Changed the flasher and the lights work! :) Any ideas how this is possible? :confused:

Two words: Lucas Electrics.

Bill
 
M

MaddMark

signal light ground

2 months ago my '67 SV displayed similar symptoms. The right side Rear flasher would not work , but the front would. I recalled reading that the front
light housing is prone to corossion and loss of ground. I removed the Front housing and cleaned the conections and ground. After reinstalling the FRONT housing, the REAR flasher functioned perfectly !!

Quality British Electrical Engineering ?
 

Mark T

Donation Time
I guess the bottom line is that there is no rhyme nor reason when it comes to the 'Prince of Darkness'!
 

Nickodell

Donation Time
Decided to put in a new flasher before I started tearing apart light fixtures. I know... it can't be the flasher as it's upstream from the switch and I've already proved that upstream is OK when I switched the wires downstream of the switch and the same lights wouldn't work. Guess what? Changed the flasher and the lights work! :) Any ideas how this is possible? :confused:

Because I said it would:D:D:
 
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